


Death (Major Arcana: 13)

by LadyFalcia



Series: Major Arcana [3]
Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Angst and Tragedy, Character Death, Darkest Timeline, F/M, Hurt No Comfort, Tissue Warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:41:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29114685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyFalcia/pseuds/LadyFalcia
Summary: WARNING: Chapter 16 spoilers!!Transformation, change which is a blessing in disguise. A clearing out which will make way for something better. Harsh fate which does not consider personal feelings. Very, very occasionally does this card signify death; more usually it means a major change.***After Belphegor's escape, there must be a timeline where Sariel does not survive, and the relationships between the brothers are torn apart rather than put back together. This is a glimpse into the what-might-have-been, before Barbatos fixed the timelines.
Relationships: Asmodeus (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Mammon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Satan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Major Arcana [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2107173
Comments: 6
Kudos: 19





	Death (Major Arcana: 13)

**Author's Note:**

> The Major Arcana series is a semi-retelling of Shall We Date: Obey Me! with an original character, Sariel, and her burgeoning romances with Mammon, Avatar of Greed and Asmodeus, Avatar of Lust. The series is unusual in that I will never write from Sariel's point of view, the entire thing is through the eyes of Mammon and Asmodeus, with some guest characters for certain chapters or pieces (currently I have plans for one with Lucifer and one or two with Solomon). Each chapter is themed around a different tarot card from the major arcana.
> 
> The parts covered have many references to the in-game events but they won't be covered properly, instead I've chosen to concentrate on the bits we don't see, especially those which are hinted at, or make sense but are never explored.
> 
> I have only played up until Chapter 24, but there will be massive spoilers for until that point scattered throughout the work.
> 
> Pieces will be uploaded in the order that they are written, rather than necessarily in continuity order, but I will try to place them in the right order in the series.

# DEATH

Transformation, change which is a blessing in disguise. A clearing out which will make way for something better. Harsh fate which does not consider personal feelings. Very, very occasionally does this card signify death; more usually it means a major change. 

***

She was dying.

Mammon could feel the warmth, the _life_ in his arms as he ran. His world shrunk to the size of a single soul, her light still shining fitfully.

_I have to.. have to help... Purgatory Hall. Simeon. Solomon._

He could dimly hear Lucifer, booming out commands, the noise only resolving into words when the first-born grabbed Mammon's shoulder and roughly pulled him back, "Mammon! There isn't time! You need to..."

The Avatar of Greed pulled out of his brother's grip and took a step forward, only pausing when Sariel shuddered, her entire body bucking. Dark bruises, deep purple, almost black, covered every inch of her throat. Every breath she took was short and gasping. Mammon groaned, dropped to his knees, the sudden motion still gentle as he cradled her in his arms. "And so ya stop me? Or what?! D'ya **want** her to die?"

She opened her eyes then, looked at him, past him. Existence narrowed again as he held her closer, "Sariel! Hang in there, Sariel!" _Fight, ya gotta fight. I know you're a fighter, do this for me, please. Pleasepleaseplease._

Yelling around him, unimportant. Nothing was as important as the slightest twitch of her fingers, tightening against his. Her eyes, focusing. Finally seeing him.

He smiled, squeezed her hand. _That's it, come back to me, Sariel..._

She twitched, eyes widening, her grip becoming tight, her expression frightened. She tried to breathe, but couldn't.

Fear rolled through him, ice-cold and leaving emptiness in its wake. "Sariel, don't you die! Sariel...!" He could see the distance growing in her eyes.

More noise, impossibly distant.

How could it happen so suddenly?

Her fingers loosened, her gaze unblinking, somewhere far away. Her mouth frozen slightly open, as if she'd just been pleasantly surprised.

He saw the light of her soul dimming. Closed his eyes, unable to bring himself to watch. The pact, a small pressure in his chest, broke with a snap. Left an aching hole.

He opened his eyes again, left them fixed on where she _used_ to be. Wherever she was now, she was out of his reach.

Gone.

_She's gone._

He curled over her, holding her body close. Felt the lingering warmth that seemed like something profane. Pressed his head down, leaning it against hers as the first sobs tore through him. Raw and painful.

_She's gone._

Despair. Grief. Agony.

_Why didn't I? I could have... I could have done so many things. I could have told her. I could have..._

It was unbearable.

A voice. Familiar. Mocking. _Dangerous_ , filled with laughter and taunts. "Mammon, and now you're _crying_? I didn't think you could get more pathetic! Clearly I was wrong." Laughter again, "She deserved it! She was a fool to trust me. Maybe that's why you liked her, huh? Because she was also a-" The voice cut off abruptly, then resumed, "Get off me, Lucifer! It's too late! She's dead! You can't save it now!" The note of triumph in his voice was obscene.

Mammon slowly let go, placed Sariel's body with extreme care down onto the marble floor. He lifted up a hand, tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. That lock that was always slipping out, that always meant, as she tucked it back, that she was nervous, or embarrassed. His hand was shaking.

It was all too late now.

***

She was dying.

Asmodeus couldn't take his eyes off of her from the moment he entered the foyer. His stomach roiled with terror, denial pushing it back. This couldn't be happening.

Belphegor, mocking Mammon, his envenomed words not even registering, the second-born too focused on the woman in his arms. It was easy to work out who had done this, only confirmed by Lucifer's next words, "Belphie, you..."

Beelzebub, shocked by the sudden appearance of his twin, stood close on Asmodeus' heels. Initially struck dumb by the scene in front of him, he finally spoke, anger rumbling beneath the words, "Belphie, what have you done?!"

Leviathan hesitated, glancing at Sariel and then away again, as if he couldn't bear to even look at her. He focused instead on Lucifer, the fear in his voice making it crack, "This is awful. What's going to happen to Sariel?!"

Satan stepped closer, his clinical gaze sweeping over her. His voice was cold, flat, like a knife blade. "Sariel is a human. With injuries this bad, the chances of survival are..." He stopped, didn't trail off, just stopped speaking.

Asmodeus finally let his eyes go to the thick, black band around Sariel's neck. Belphie had strangled her. His little brother had put his hands there and...

 _No._ He flicked his gaze to the most powerful demon in the room, pleading, "Lucifer, can't we do **something**?" It didn't matter what it would cost. Anything. Everything. He would pay it gladly. But the look on Lucifer's face was an answer that left him feeling like the Devildom had dropped out from beneath him. That he was falling all over again. _No. No. No. This can't be happening._

Belphegor laughed again, the tone increasing in intensity as Lucifer growled, a short, sharp, frustrated sound that was startlingly primal. "Yes... yes! Perfect! That's exactly the look I was **hoping** to see on your face, Lucifer!" Another gale of laughter, high-pitched and _mad_.

Mammon was still calling out to Sariel as she lay in his arms. Broken. Her confidence, her kindness, her playfulness, all silenced. His reflection, smashed into a million jagged pieces, each shard in his skin, catching, tearing, ripping into him with every breath.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her. He couldn't move, couldn't go to her. He couldn't slide his arms around her and beg her to stay. _Don't. Don't leave me behind._ It took all he had to take a single step. And then another.

Beel had grabbed Belphie, turned him to talk face-to-face, disbelieving. Asking unimportant questions. Lucifer had one hand on each brother's shoulder, holding them tightly. The first-born had already turned away, was already ignoring her.

Levi had backed up, pressed up against the wall. His hands were clenched around the ears of his headphones, desperate for whatever comfort he could find. His eyes wide and panicked.

Satan was stalking, slowly, in a wide circle around Mammon and Sariel, drifting closer as if by accident. His gaze was intent, focused entirely on the dying woman, his face a blank mask.

Asmodeus gasped, almost fell to his knees as he felt the pact shatter. His hand shot out, as if he could catch it before it was gone, pull the pieces back together. He bent over, shuddering, his hair falling forward as the ache pierced him. _No..._

He blinked, looking up, watched Mammon collapse into Sariel's body, the Avatar of Greed coming apart, _finally_ honest.

Levi staggered, slid down the wall until he was sat on the floor. His head dropped down, headphones on, hiding behind his arms, tightly wrapped around his knees. Shutting everything out.

Satan just stopped. A hand lifting to lightly rest against his chest, his eyes slightly wide. So still it barely looked as though he was still breathing.

A noise from the side, as Beel stumbled back from the argument, Lucifer turning to him in concern. The eldest brother froze as Beel mumbled, so quiet but loud enough to be heard in the sudden silence, "She's dead." He sounded utterly, painfully, shocked. As if he had really believed that Sariel would survive what Belphegor had done to her.

The Avatar of Lust put his hand up against his chest, grabbed a handful of the fabric there, not caring as his nails dug into his skin, fingers white. The ache inside him yawned like an abyss.

***

"You killed her, Belphie. Ya _laughed_ about it." Mammon didn't turn to look at his brother, his voice quiet and cold.

The pain was too much.

He got to his feet, reluctant to leave her, but this was important too.

He turned, crossed the distance with a few long steps and reached out, grabbed Belphie by the collar and dragged him close until they were nose-to-nose. He could see fear flash in Belphegor's eyes at the sudden movement. His voice rolled out as a low growl, "And if you weren't my brother, I'd have already killed ya for it."

Lucifer spoke, his voice tense, "Mammon-"

Belphie interjected with another short shock of laughter, the alarm replaced with derision, his lip curling, "Really, Mammon? You should be _thanking _me! I killed her for you! No more pact, no more exchange program. Don't you think it was perfect?" His eyes were wide, bright, "The only demon she didn't make a pact with! I killed her and set you all free!"__

____

Mammon's grip tightened, his knuckles white as his hands trembled, "You-" Something in him snapped at the thought that Belphie had done it for him, that he'd been so blind as to think that he'd _wanted this_. Anger ignited in his belly, his eyes suddenly burning gold, every inch of him crawling with rage, "I loved her, ya bastard! I LOVED HER AND YOU STOLE HER FROM ME!"

____

There was a sound like cracking stone as something hit him hard and knocked him away from Belphie. Mammon spun in the air, spreading his wings out to lessen the damage as he smashed into the nearest wall. He struggled, wedged into the plaster, freeing himself with a wrench and dropping down with a crash onto the tile.

____

Lucifer stood there in all his glory, black wings trembling. One gloved hand still slightly outstretched. _He's the one who hit me._

____

The rage surged through Mammon, searing through the pain, turning his voice into a snarl, "What do ya think you're doin'?"

____

Lucifer stared back, his face impassive, though his eyes were dark, "Stopping you from making a mistake. I know your feelings-"

____

"You have no fuckin' idea of what I'm feelin' right now. You _never_ liked her. If it wasn't for Lord Diavolo, you'd have done it **yourself**!"

____

Lucifer's expression didn't move, but his gaze became haunted, "That is... not true."

____

____

Mammon stared at his brother. His voice cracked, "He _killed her_ , Lucifer!"

____

Lucifer winced, briefly closed his eyes, "Yes. And he will be punished. Lord Diavolo-"

____

The Avatar of Greed moved, crossing the distance in a blur of gold and black wings, and was rewarded with the feel of his claws connecting before he was slammed into the other wall. He bounced off, the strike less powerful, and landed on his feet, his eyes already focused on Lucifer and the trickle of blood that dripped from one gloved hand.

____

Lucifer's eyes were pained, "Mammon-"

____

He growled, "I ain't waitin' for Diavolo. Get out of my way." He stalked forward, his eyes focused on the seventh-born with an animal intensity.

____

Lucifer slowly stepped into his path, his words quiet, "No."

____

Mammon's eyes narrowed and turned back to the Avatar of Pride, his body growing taut with tension as he struggled. His words were quiet, "I'm not playin', Lucifer."

____

Lucifer nodded, his lips set in a grim line, "I know."

____

He moved. He flew into the first-born with his claws extended, felt them rake down a shoulder. It was barely a fraction of an inch deep but still drew blood. Lucifer tried to slap him away again, but he dodged, dropping onto one knee and coming back up with a two-fisted blow that slammed into his brother's stomach and lifted him into the air. Lucifer arrested the motion with his wings, dropping down to meet Mammon's furious chase.

____

***

____

No one was paying any attention to Asmodeus, all eyes drawn to the fight between Mammon and Lucifer. Belphegor took several steps backwards, away from the battle. His crowing triumph, his mockery, silenced, as Lucifer defended him.

____

Asmodeus watched, tilting his head as he took a few steps closer until he was right behind the Avatar of Sloth, could see the pretty white tips of his dark hair and the horns curling out from his head. Close enough to touch.

____

He reached out, put a hand on Belphie's shoulder, felt him turn in surprise and then freeze as the Avatar of Lust pressed up against him. He gazed into his brother's eyes, his own wide and intense as he smiled slowly, "Dear Belphie..." He leaned in, spoke in a whisper at Belphie's ear, "Did you think you were going to get away with this? I'm curious..." He dragged a finger down his brother's chest, tangled it with one of the buckles on his top. Belphegor stood frozen, barely breathing, "I suppose it doesn't really matter, since I'm going to hurt you anyway."

____

Belphegor tried to step back, stopped by Asmodeus' arm around his waist. A leg snaked between his and forced his knees to fold, dropping the seventh-born to the ground. Asmodeus rode him down, straddled his hips and almost gently wrapped his soft hands around Belphegor's neck.

____

He leaned forwards, feeling the _hate_ coiling tighter around his heart at the sudden panicked look in his little brother's eyes, "Sariel was frightened too, wasn't she, Belphie?" He leaned closer, losing himself in the terror in those purple orbs, and whispered, "Are you scared because I could kill you? Because you're weak, and no one is coming to your rescue? All these people who care about you, and you'll die because none of them are paying attention." He dropped even closer, brushed his lips against Belphegor's cheek as he spoke, "Does it sound familiar, what I am going to do to you? It should."

____

Belphie shuddered beneath him as the spell broke, writhed desperately, trying to get Asmodeus off, to call out, "B-"

____

Asmodeus' hands tightened, silencing the cry. He shivered, his voice low and filled with venom, "Does it hurt? _Dear little brother_." A long pause, "I won't kill you, Belphie. But you deserve to feel what she felt. To understand what you did, intimately. You can't possibly understand **my** pain, so I'll show you hers."

____

His hands tightened further, winched around Belphegor's neck. He jerked and thrashed beneath Asmodeus, mouth opening and closing soundlessly, grabbing and pulling and striking helplessly at the arms suffocating him. Asmodeus smirked, watched him carefully, the pain within him revelling at the look of agony in Belphie's eyes.

____

Asmodeus' gaze lifted as he heard a huff of indrawn air and saw that Beel had half-turned from the fight. His face filled with shock and dismay as he called out, his voice loud and filled with alarm, "Belphie!" 

____

***

____

She was dead.

____

She looked so peaceful, lying there. If it wasn't for her storm-cloud eyes, open and staring at the ceiling, she would almost look serene. The injuries were so severe, trivial for a demon, but if she had survived it would have been a miracle. And they did not deserve miracles.

____

Satan walked closer, ignoring the chaos around him. Her hair was strewn out in a halo, not a mark on her face. Her clothes all rumpled. She would have hated that, would have pulled her shirt down and tidied herself up. She would have sent him an embarrassed smile at being seen as anything less than put-together.

____

The small, cold feeling in his chest, like a coin pressed against his heart. His pact, less than an _hour_ old and already broken. Somehow, it felt like his fault. Maybe it was. It had been his plan, to get Lucifer and Sariel to put their issues with each other to one side. He had only been away from her for a little while. It didn't make sense. Lucifer was supposed to have been with her. Should have protected her like he had twice already. _As he protected her from me._

____

He was faintly surprised that he wasn't angry, wasn't enraged. It felt as though it was all on the far side of some vast wall, impossible to reach.

____

He crouched down, tilting his head as he leant closer to her. One knee dropped to the ground as he reached out with two fingers to delicately close her eyes. It loosed some knot of tension in his stomach, made it look as though she was asleep. Almost as if he could shake her from her nap and berate her for falling asleep in the library.

____

His breath caught, _I'll never be able to do that again._

____

He stared at her face, one hand laid flat on the cold marble, slow realisations coming to him. _I'll never hear her laugh again. I'll never see how she scrunches her nose when she takes the first sip of her coffee. I'll never hear her telling a cat how pretty they are in the most ridiculous voice. I'll never debate with her, or tease her, or..._

____

The other hand fell to join the one against the marble as he slumped onto his knees, staring straight ahead. _I'll never pay back my debt, like my pact bond was **supposed** to. I'll never follow one of her orders. I'll never be able to show her my favourite garden, or buy her that bookmark she liked. I'll never get a chance to win that rematch at cards. I'll never get to loan her another book and hear what she thought._

____

His hands slowly clenched into fists, his forearms shaking. _I'll never get to tell her how amazing she is. How amazing she was. I'll never get to say how good it was to have someone who loved the same things as me. Who disliked Lucifer. Who kept me on my toes. Who was determined to beat my grades, no matter what._ A soft bitter smile snuck onto his lips, and he could feel the wall inside him starting to tremble, its foundations shifting. She had been a rival, and she had been a friend. And sometimes, just sometimes, he'd wondered if she could have been more than that.

____

_I'll never find out._

____

A tide of pure fire roared into him as the wall broke. His fingernails gouged into the marble, ripping into it easily as his hands shifted into something more like talons. The wrath filled the cold spot over his heart, intensifying with every heartbeat until he _burned_. Shook with it.

____

His fingers dug into the stone, lifting up into a crouch as his gaze finally lifted onto his brothers, and a low snarl erupted from his throat.

____

***

____

Mammon's eyes flicked to the side as he heard Beel cry out his twin's name, _felt_ Lucifer's distraction as the first-born did the same. Surprise trickled like ice-water. He saw Asmodeus, his hands locked around Belphegor's neck, his demon form surrounded by a thick haze of power.

____

Beelzebub moved forward, the Avatar of Gluttony making the floor shudder as he transformed, charging Asmodeus - and was met with the full force of the Avatar of Wrath.

____

Satan hit Beel from the side, leaping up and striking with both heels, sending his brother tumbling to the floor. He followed with terrifying speed, snarls spilling from his mouth as his talons ripped into the sixth-born's flesh, Beelzebub roaring in anger and pain.

____

Lucifer turned, blurred as he flew to Belphegor's side, reached out to grab Asmodeus...

____

Mammon surged forwards, dropped his shoulder and tackled the Avatar of Pride, knocked him back and immediately tried to roll away to stay out of his reach.

____

He had just enough time to register a roar that rattled the heavens before two gloved hands grabbed him by the straps and pulled him close to a pair of crimson eyes, burning with _fury_. Mammon growled back, tensing as he prepared to fight for his life.

____

Satan pounced onto Lucifer, his saw-toothed tail wrapping around the first-born's throat and ripping it away at speed, while he dug his talons deep into Lucifer's back. He bared his fangs, brought his head down and bit hard into the Avatar of Pride's neck, a snarling growl rumbling from him with every breath.

____

_Satan..._ Mammon stared, shock finally shaking off the haze of anger, letting him see what was in front of him.

____

The insanity of the Avatar of Wrath. The look in Asmodeus' eyes. The worryingly still form of Beelzebub on the ground. Belphegor, his attempts to free himself getting weaker and weaker.

____

_What are we doin'?_

____

Lucifer roared again, threw Mammon away to skid across the marble floor. He reached behind him, tore Satan off with a wet tearing noise, and slammed him into the ground at his feet with a crack of shattering stone.

____

_Shit! He's lost it!_ Mammon dug both claws into the ground, stopped the slide and tore towards Lucifer, shoved him aside again as the first-born prepared to drop the next blow onto a stunned Satan. He saw the fourth-born shake his head and roll to his feet with a surge of relief.

____

A hand closed on Mammon's arm with indomitable strength and dragged him back. Lucifer's face was transformed by an incandescent rage as he spun and hurled the Avatar of Greed _through_ the wall.

____

He lost his breath, agony blooming in his head, on his back, the noise so loud it drowned out everything. He bounced, sprawled. Time slowed as the wall above him collapsed, each stone becoming part of the wave of pain as it hit, of the darkness that swallowed him whole.

____

***

____

Satan could barely coax together enough thought to keep his wrath directed, a small core of hard-won lucidity floating on a vast sea of fire. The taste of Lucifer's blood was a metallic tang in his mouth, the scent in his nose as more of it spilled onto the ground from the Avatar of Pride's wounds. He growled softly, vaguely aware that Mammon had saved him from Lucifer, and had suffered for it. It only served to stoke his anger to a white-hot edge, the growl getting louder.

____

Lucifer turned towards him, wings outstretched and lazily beating as he glared at the fourth-born, murder in his eyes.

____

A soft, weak sound interrupted. Beelzebub had turned partly onto his side, one arm pressed against the long, vicious rents in his flesh. He looked over to where his twin lay helpless beneath Asmodeus' grip. He moaned, voice quiet but rough with pain, and grief, and fear. "Belphie..." Again, stronger, "Asmo, please... Please, stop..."

____

Lucifer looked away, showed his back to the predator before him. Satan half-crouched, the rattling growl in his chest raising in pitch in anticipation as he prepared to launch himself at the first-born.

____

_Something is wrong._

____

The thought was a whisper almost lost amongst the roar, but he found his eyes drawn towards the sight of Asmodeus with his hands wrapped around Belphegor's neck, straddling him and pinning him to the ground. It took only a heartbeat to realise what had pulled his attention.

____

Belphie was no longer moving.

____

Lucifer cried out, his voice raw with loss, " **NO!** "

____

He crossed the distance between them in a heartbeat, his movements almost too fast for even the Avatar of Wrath to follow. He dropped to one knee, pressed a hand down on Belphie's chest and with the other, tore Asmo up and off with a back-handed slap to the centre of his chest.

____

Satan's eyes widened at the _force_ in the blow. A wordless cry ripped out of him from somewhere deep inside.

____

Asmodeus struck the ceiling, the plaster erupting, the beams snapping around him. His form lost in a sea of brick dust and falling debris. Lucifer covering Belphie from the falling stones.

____

A breathless moment of silence.

____

And then he fell.

____

Asmodeus dropped, landed on a chunk of masonry, bounced, rolled down. One horn broken, his back ripped to shreds.

____

Belphegor gasped, wheezed as his lungs desperately took in air.

____

Lucifer was still on one knee. As he heard the Avatar of Sloth take in a breath, he collapsed forward, his shoulders slumping with relief.

____

The dust began to settle. Lucifer turned, lifted his head, and then froze, his breath stopped. Satan could see the horror on his face as he stared.

____

Stared at Asmodeus' face. At his eyes, open.

____

Empty.

____

***

____

Diavolo glanced around at the ruins of the House of Lamentation. The House had weathered many disasters, but this felt different. For one, there was no apologetic Lucifer to greet him. In fact, there were no demons at all. The wind blew mournfully through the holes in the walls as the Devil Lord stepped carefully into the entrance way. Rubble was everywhere, blood on the tiles. And there, in the centre, on a pile of bricks...

____

Lucifer. He was kneeling, his head bowed. Asmodeus laid there, his head on Lucifer's lap, the Avatar of Pride brushing Asmo's hair back from his face, over and over.

____

Blood pooled around the fifth-born, still in his demon form, his wings broken or missing, one horn snapped in half. His eyes were closed.

____

Diavolo looked around slowly, saw details he hadn't seen before. White hair poked out of a pile of fallen stone, one tanned arm and shoulder just visible. He inclined his head, felt Barbatos obey.

____

He walked forwards slowly, aware of the tension in the air, the feeling of this moment having _weight_. Lucifer raised his head as he got closer, and Diavolo stopped as he saw the look in his friend's eyes. Total despair, the eclipse of all stars.

____

"Lucifer..." he whispered, his voice filled with awe and horror, "Is he...?"

____

The first-born flinched, closed his eyes and looked down, his face twisting into an expression of grief, "Yes."

____

"Who? What-"

____

Lucifer looked up again, his eyes wide and haunted. His voice laden with regret, "I did."

____

____

Diavolo stared back, his eyes wide. He wanted to ask what had happened, how it had come to this, but found himself fearing the answer.

____

____

Lucifer kept speaking, his gaze dropped back down to Asmodeus' face, tangled a gloved hand in the Avatar of Lust's hair, leaving it stained with blood. "I do not know where the others have gone. Sariel is dead. I believe Satan took her body. Belphegor killed her. I was keeping him prisoner here, and she somehow got into his cell. And we..." Lucifer paused, his voice rough, "We fought."

____

Barbatos stopped just at the edge of Diavolo's line of sight, waiting until he felt the Devil Lord's eyes on him and then giving him a brisk nod. He let out a soft sigh of relief, speaking softly, "Mammon is here, Lucifer. He's still alive."

____

Lucifer didn't respond, didn't look up until Diavolo slowly knelt down so he was on the same level as the distraught demon. "And I'm here, too."

____

The first-born's head jerked up, shock in his gaze. He took in a deep breath, "I... I do not deserve that. Not today."

____

Diavolo sighed, a desolate smile on his lips, "I know. And you know what has to happen next."

____

Lucifer looked down at the demon in his arms, tracing the outline of the single unbroken horn. A whisper, "Yes." A long pause, "I cannot owe you more than I already do, but will you look after them? When I am... gone?"

____

Diavolo closed his eyes, his heart breaking as he nodded, "Of course."

____

**Author's Note:**

> I would love if people can help me with things like suggested tags, or if I've slipped into present tense somewhere (it's a bad habit I've got from doing online roleplaying on Discord and sometimes I don't find them all). All comments are welcome, especially constructive criticism. Writing from the brothers' POV is hard work, so any tips or pointers would be warmly received.
> 
> Thank you to mossymoon for being my beta reader!


End file.
